&BEYOND Africa
South Africa

KWANDWE Private Game Reserve
Eastern Cape, South Africa

Situated at the heart of the malaria-free Eastern Cape province, Kwandwe Private Game Reserve is within easy reach of South Africa’s spectacular coastline and provides the perfect beginning or ending to a journey along the famed Garden Route. The wide open spaces and tranquil scenery belie the area's turbulent history, and relics of the area's rich historical and cultural legacy can be found both on the reserve and nearby. Kwandwe itself consists of 22000 hectares of a hauntingly beautiful but previously neglected part of the African continent where the area’s natural wildlife has been painstakingly restored.

A conservation victory, Kwandwe is home to thousands of animals, including lion, black and white rhino, buffalo, elephant and cheetah, as well as Africa’s famous Big Five. Meaning “Place of the Blue Crane” in Xhosa, Kwandwe is a haven for a population of these rare, highly endangered birds (South Africa’s national bird). The Reserve also provides sanctuary for other threatened species, such as the Knysna woodpecker, Cape grysbok, black wildebeest, crowned eagle and black-footed cat. A biological melting pot of various vegetation types, the Reserve boasts a spectacular display of winter flowering aloes from June to August. Kwandwe flanks both the north and south banks of the Great Fish River, which meanders for 30 km through this pristine, private wilderness.

Kwandwe - Big Five Wilderness

Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge - Set along the banks of the river boasting uninterrupted wilderness vistas
Kwandwe Ecca Lodge - Funky, yet intimate, situated on rolling slopes overlooking the lush valley
Kwandwe Uplands Homestead - A gracious homestead situated in a remote and tranquil valley
Kwandwe Melton Manor - A sole-use safari villa with sweeping views of the afromontane forests

Kwandwe Great Fish River Lodge

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

One of the greatest luxuries Africa can offer is the sense of space. At Great Fish River Lodge, the vastness of this wild continent is all around you, from the spectacular views from the lodge’s decks to the huge windows that let a sense of grandeur right into your very bedroom. Stone walls, thatch roofs and long wooden walkways bring natural materials into the interiors, blurring the distinction between inside and outside.

Everything takes place on a grander scale, imbuing the rugged landscape with the power to take your breath away. Set high up on a steep bank of the Great Fish River, the Lodge overlooks a majestic vista that stretches far into the horizon.

With expansive viewing decks, every moment offers an opportunity to explore more of the wonders of the bush - a majestic kudu picking its way to the water’s edge or a pair of Cape clawless otters cavorting in the river. The rugged landscape is reflected in the materials and frontier style of the lodge, while the gleaming antiques and warm rugs of the interior mirror the magnificence of the scenery.

Kwandwe Uplands Homestead

If you have always longed to boast of having a farm in Africa, the genteel Uplands Homestead is the place for you! This elegant, restored 1905 farmhouse retains all the charm and grace of its period without losing any of its country warmth and ambiance. Set in a remote and tranquil valley, and available for the sole use of families and parties of up to six, Uplands will soon have you feeling master of all you survey.

Kwandwe - Uplands Homestead

With a full contingent of friendly staff, including a private chef and butler, you’ll experience all the comfort and convenience of a genuine home. Perfect for the sole use of a group or family of up to six guests, Uplands Homestead is situated half an hour from Heatherton Towers (Kwandwe's reception building) and 45 minutes from Main Lodge.

Kwandwe - Uplands Homestead
Living Room

The heart of any farmhouse is its kitchen and Uplands is no exception. With its wrought iron chandeliers and pristine tiled walls, the room is a quaint and welcoming core. Modern catering equipment masquerading as a traditional cooking range, manned by a skilled chef, creates both old family favourites and new dishes. Delectable meals are served in the dining area, where friends and family gather to share the day’s adventures.

Clusters of comfortable chairs in the sitting room invite hours of relaxation, while the green lawns and sparkling pool create a perfect outlet for youthful energy.

Kwandwe Ecca Lodge

Banish all thoughts of moustached men in safari suits, cork hats and knee-high socks - a safari lodge with an attitude, Ecca Lodge is seriously modern and trendy. Shut all the doors and draw all the drapes, and you could be in a funky cosmopolitan penthouse, except that night noises at Kwandwe aren’t traffic and sirens but yipping jackals and the crazy chorus of frogs in the reed beds along the Great Fish River.

This cheerful lodge with a youthful, relaxed vibe is the perfect place for a wildlife experience for the young at heart.

Set in thick vegetation overlooking a dense valley, Ecca Lodge offers a breathtaking view onto an escarpment of steep shale cliffs. Expansive wooden viewing decks provide the ideal setting to soak up the bushveld atmosphere with a leisurely lunch or a sundowner drink. The Lodge’s pagoda-style corrugated iron roofs and walls of wood panelling blend seamlessly into the magnificent landscape. Rooms are airy and open, with barely a barrier between the indoors and the African bush.

Funky touches in décor and fittings surprise and delight at every step, while life sized animal photographs re-tinted in psychedelic colours add a touch of fun and fantasy.

Plunge pools with solar heating create a dash of colour on each suite’s wooden decks. A play centre for children keeps little hands busy for hours and a shared lodge pool provides the perfect place for a communal splash. An interactive kitchen tempts and tantalises with colours and aromas, while the deep chairs in the open dining areas invite you to linger over flavours and textures.

Kwandwe Melton Manor

The welcoming U-shape of Melton Manor enfolds up to eight guests in a warm and humorous embrace. This sole-use safari villa, where the smallest detail of your stay is planned according to your specific wishes, is perfect for family holidays or parties of friends. Both open and welcoming, the Manor’s inner courtyard provides a focal point for shared hours, while the deep verandas of each bedroom suite offer stunning views of Kwandwe’s blue-lit hills. Your private safari vehicle, complete with team of tracker and ranger, stand waiting to begin your adventure as and when you please.

With sweeping views of the river and mountains in three different directions, Melton Manor is a whimsical mix of old and new, a contemporary frontier farmhouse with a modern touch. Antique settler furniture is given fresh life with a coat of colourful paint and quirky touches combine familiar objects with unfamiliar uses, shades or locations. High ceilings and deep verandas produce a sense of space, while deep couches, warm fireplaces and casual touches invite you to kick back and relax.

At Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, your days are designed to thrill you with intimate wildlife encounters and your nights to delight you with the indulgence and romance of the African night. Read more...

KWANDWE Private Game Reserve South Africa
Rates on request

No single supplement is charged for the first two single rooms on a booking, any additional rooms will have a 50% supplement levied. Long stay discounts are available.

Rates include: Accommodation • Three meals daily • Soft drinks, house wines, local brand spirits and beers • Teas and coffees • Scheduled safari activities • Refreshments on game drives • Nature walks (1 hour) accompanied by experienced armed trackers, subject to availability • Emergency medical evacuation insurance • Laundry • VAT.

Rates exclude: Telephone calls • Safari Shop purchases • Champagne, cognacs, fine wines, premium brand spirits, cigars • Transfers to and from the lodge • Gratuities • Government levy/bed levy • Conservancy or park entrance fees (where applicable) • Landing fees (where applicable).

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

Activities included at Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

At Kwandwe, it is our passion to share our knowledge and understanding of the bush and its inhabitants with our guests. Our highly trained rangers and trackers will do their utmost to delight our guests with a choice of the following adventures:

Twice daily game drives - explore the natural diversity of Kwandwe on early morning and late afternoon / evening game drives in an open 4x4 safari vehicle. An armed ranger and tracker team will share their extensive knowledge of the bush with you and will track the Big Five, as well as a variety of other wildlife. Morning drives begin as dawn breaks over the Great Fish River, and guests have the opportunity to see the predators winding up their nocturnal hunts and settling in for the day. Many animals take advantage of the cool morning hours to graze before the heat of the day. In the late afternoon the wildlife can often be spotted coming down to the river to drink. Night drives produces some unusual sightings, including aardvark, aardwolf, bat-eared fox and porcupine.
Interpretive bush walks - in between game drives, take a closer look at the intricate details of the bush on a leisurely walk within easy reach of your lodge. Dense euphorbia thickets are best explored on foot, revealing a secret world of lichen, mosses and ferns. Various birds of prey and other species nest in the taller trees or in the spiny canopy. An armed ranger guides guests through up close and personal sightings of an occasional buffalo, bushbuck or bushpig.

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&BEYOND Africa
South Africa